


Neither

by fineh



Category: Jane the Virgin (TV)
Genre: F/F, post 4.10, this is lowkey messy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2018-02-27
Packaged: 2019-03-24 15:28:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13814064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fineh/pseuds/fineh
Summary: Jane thinks about the last text she received. You, or her.She chooses neither.In which Jane confesses.





	Neither

**Author's Note:**

> I have officially been sucked in by these two. Here's to hoping Jane Ramos sticks around.

Smashing her cell phone changes everything. The crunch of the plastic resonated in her empty office. Jane Ramos did not put away innocent people. Defend guilty people? Sure. But putting away a woman who was clearly innocent and wasn’t as cold and calculating as she’d been led to believe wasn’t something she could do.

So, she comes clean. The lying is slowly killing her. She’s never had much of a conscious unless it concerns her mom. It was one of the reasons her ex-girlfriend had broken up with her. Not even a TV writer, someone who wrote drama for a living, had been capable of dealing with her sometimes unscrupulous dealings. 

Petra’s told her stories about her past, so Jane’s aware of the long list of people she’s been betrayed by, knowing she’s adding her name to that list is enough to make her sick. She came into Petra’s life, but she never expected to stay. Confessing is something she has to do, even if it means losing her.

She tells her on a Wednesday. They’re in Petra’s penthouse brainstorming ways to lure her mother out of hiding. Jane’s not sure if Magda is acting alone or if she’s a part of the people who contacted her. The threats are constant. Burn phones keep popping up everywhere. She has a whole drawer in her office full of them.

Bracing herself, she faces Petra on the long couch and watches Petra's eyes grow steelier with every word she says. It's not easy, but she gets through it. Jane expects a big explosion, but it never comes. Instead, Petra stands, grabs a bottle of wine and two glasses and sits back down. Without a word, she fills them up handing one to Jane and taking the other for herself. After a long sip, she finally speaks.

“I wish Michael were here.”

“I’m sorry, who?” This isn’t the reaction she expected and somehow, it’s worse. If there’s one thing she’s always hated it's uncertainty.

“Michael Cordero. Jane’s dead husband. He was a cop. He could’ve helped with this.”

“Oh.” Jane vaguely remembers him from the Sin Rostro investigation. The death and reappearance of Sin Rostro had been highly publicized. “Was he a good cop?”

Petra shrugs, “It all depended on his mood but yeah mostly. As good as any cop can be.” Swirling the wine, she takes another sip before laughing, “Wait, he would’ve been a lawyer right now. I forgot about that.” She laughs humorlessly. “So, I would’ve been screwed anyway. Great.”

“Petra…” Jane’s not sure why they’re sitting here making inane small talk when Petra should be yelling at her, telling her to get the hell out. 

“Jane, why?” It’s the first time she says her name, her real name, and it’s not the victory she’d hoped it’d be. Not when it’s laced with sadness and confusion.

“They threatened my mother." It sounds lame but it's true. "At that point, it was a no-brainer. I didn't know you. It was supposed to be open shut. I'd be your lawyer, tank the case. You'd go to jail and I'd be free." Jane lets out a shuddered laugh, "It was supposed to be easy. You were guilty. That's what they said. They said you killed her."

Petra’s jaw tightens before she looks away.

“And I believed them at first. I’m sure you’re aware of how you come off. But then I got to know you and it wasn’t open shut anymore. That day in the stairwell, I knew for a fact you didn’t do it. There was no way. I’d had my doubts, but that confirmed it.”

Jane was coached thoroughly before she set foot in the Marbella. The long chain of text messages still hadn’t been enough to prepare her for Petra Solano. She was warned about how cold, calculating, and manipulating Petra could be, so discovering she was the complete opposite had been a surprise.

“Why are you telling me now?”

“You need to know. They want you in jail. I don’t know who it is, but someone out there wants you in jail and will do anything to get you there. You should probably get a new lawyer, one who isn’t compromised.” It’s hard to think of them parting ways but it’s probably for the best.

“I don’t think that’s all of it.”

“Sorry?” 

“There’s something else you’re not telling me.” She sets down her wine glass. Petra’s voice is firm. “You’ve been distant lately. Even right now, you won’t look at me.”

So, she does, lifts her eyes to Petra's and regrets it immediately. Those luminous eyes stare back at her, and it's hard to remember she's her lawyer. Lately, she's had to remind herself to put more space between them. She's always been a tactile person, yet with Petra she finds herself holding back. Sure, there are those times when she can't help herself but for the most part, she keeps her hands to herself.

“Tell me.” A hand is placed tentatively on her shoulder, “Jane, please.”

Her name on Petra’s lips is more than she can take. Setting down her glass she closes the gap between them deliberately, giving Petra plenty of time to push her away. To tell her she’s straight, that she doesn’t like girls. Instead, Petra’s hand goes from her shoulder to her arm, her grip tightens, and a whisper escapes her lips.

“J.R., please.” She kisses her, all ramifications be damned, but not before telling her one final thing.

“It’s Jane.”

She'd heard of Petra before. Living in Miami it was hard not to. At least once a month she was splashed across magazines or part of the news cycle. Accused of murder every other year. Plus, Jane, like every other person in Miami, had read The Curse of the Solano’s. But she’d never given her much thought aside from, “She might be a bitch, but she’s hot.”

Hot and kissing her with no hesitation, as soon as their lips had touched her hand had cupped her face instinctively.

Reaching up, she tangles her hand in Petra's hair. It'd been a surprise when she'd cut it. It took everything in her not to say anything. It'd also been a distraction, her exposed collarbone making it hard to concentrate.

Petra sighs into the kiss, and Jane uses her other hand to bring her closer, Petra follows her lead, her hand finding its way to her belt. For a second Jane lets her, but when she starts to tug at her shirt it’s time to stop. There are too many questions that need to be resolved before they go any further.

“Petra,” Breathing heavily, she lets her hand fall from Petra’s nape. Gently she nudges her wandering fingers away from her slacks. “We should stop.” It sounds virginal but it’s true. They need to talk. Petra groans but stops, hooking her finger in a belt loop.

Jane’s not going to apologize for the kiss. To apologize would mean to regret it and there’s never going to be a day where she regrets kissing Petra Solano. Unable to stop herself, she steals another kiss, chaste this time, enjoying the way Petra’s eyes flutter shut.

"I'm still mad at you," Petra says when she pulls back, biting her lip in that maddening way that almost always results in Jane doing the same. Ever since she's met her Jane's had to invest more in chapstick.

“I know.”

“I’m scared.” Jane knows how hard it is for her to admit that.

“Me too.” She takes Petra’s fidgeting hand in her own. “Me too.”

Jane thinks about the last text she received. _You, or her._

She chooses neither. 

**Author's Note:**

> find me here on [tumblr](http://finehs.tumblr.com)


End file.
